Changing childhoods: Using queer theory and intersectional methods to reconsider the epistemic resources of children with gay and lesbian parents

This article explores contemporary childhoods through a lens of epistemic privileges and injustices in order to consider the experiences of children whose family models may not reflect the heterosexual norm. More than 14 million children in the United States have one or more gay parents. As the legal definition of marriage in the United States now recognizes same-sex partnerships, it is likely that this official number will increase. The experiences of children with gay and lesbian parents are often overlooked due to public sentiment toward gay partnerships and parenting, but the changing legal status of gay marriage around the world may indicate a shift in sentiment toward these family structures. For childhood studies researchers, this shift will provide opportunities to conduct studies with children whose voices largely were silenced or omitted from past and current scholarship. Particularly, young children with gay parents are in a unique position to describe the world since they must navigate between their homonormative private worlds and the heteronormative world of public institutions. Drawing on queer theory and incorporating the concept of intersectionality, I posit that applying Fricker’s concept of epistemic injustice to studies of childhood may reveal new ways to identify systemic and cultural biases including heteronormativity and adult–child power asymmetries. Examining issues of epistemic injustice through a queer lens and using intersectional methods may elucidate aspects of childhood culture that are misunderstood or absent from the scholarship.

Gay and Lesbian Parents

Wellness, outness, and sexual orientation identity were examined across multiple demographic categories in a large sample of gay and lesbian parents. No significant differences were found in terms of wellness. However, gay male parents reported higher need for protection, acceptance, internalized homophobia, and more difficult process of identity formation. Older parents reported a more difficult coming out process. Parents of color were less out to their faith communities, had higher identity confusion, but lower need for privacy.

Strasbourg’s Response to Gay and Lesbian Parenting: Progress, then Plateau?

This article examines the advancement of parenting rights for gay and lesbian persons as established through the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. It notes that, after many years of progress, this advancement has seemingly now reached a plateau. In particular, although the Court has previously been effective in ending discrimination against single gay and lesbian parents, it has been reluctant to find that discrimination against same-sex couples seeking access to joint parenting rights is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights (echr). This article examines this plateau and it questions whether consideration of the rights and interests of children could be used to overcome it. It is argued that this consideration may ultimately demand that joint parenting opportunities are made available.

The Custody Crucible: The Development of Scientific Authority About Gay and Lesbian Parents

In 1974, gay father Bruce Voeller sought visitation with his three children after divorcing his wife. The New Jersey family court held a six day trial that centered on expert witness testimony as to whether Voeller's homosexuality would be detrimental to his children. Drs. Richard Green and John Money testified on Voeller's behalf, whereas Voeller's ex-wife called Dr. Richard Gardner, who concluded that “‘the total environment to which the father exposed the children could impede healthy sexual development in the future.’” In his opinion, which imposed strict limitations on visitation, the judge focused on the opposition within the American Psychiatric Association (APA) over the decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness, reasoning that psychiatrists' inability to agree on how to define or classify homosexuality indicated that it was impossible to know what effect Voeller's homosexuality would have on his children. The court consequently concluded that the medical controversy, combined with “the immutable effects which are engendered by the parent-child relationship, demands that the court be most hesitant in allowing any unnecessary exposure of a child to an environment which may be deleterious.” The court imposed visitation restrictions to prevent the children from being in “any homosexual related activities,” which included prohibiting Voeller from ever introducing his partner to the children.